Mizo Body At Loggerheads With Minorities

By Zodin Sanga

Aizawl, Nov 23 : Young Mizo Association (YMA), the largest and most powerful organisation in Mizoram, is at loggerheads with some minorities in the state, who have taken a strong exception to the former’s “integrity” agenda.

Chakma, Lai and Mara tribes who have autonomous district councils in southern Mizoram are up in arms against the YMA’s stiff opposition to granting more administrative power and financial powers to the additional deputy commissioners (ADCs).

Terming the recent resolution of central coordination committee of YMA as “absurd”, a joint meeting of Young Lai Association, Mara Thyutlia Py (Mara youth organisation) and Young Chakma Association (CYCA) at Lawngtlai on Tuesday demanded the YMA to withdraw its resolution failing which they would take “necessary actions.”

The three organisations acc used the YMA of trying to oppress the rights of minorities against the Constitution of India on the pretext of “protecting the integrity of Mizos and Mizoram.”

“The YMA’s agenda violates the Constitution of the largest democracy and fundamental human rights,” the meeting’s resolution said.

In reaction to the joint meeting, leaders of central committee of the YMA met the press on Wednesday where they defended their stand to protect the integrity of Mizos and Mizoram. “The YMA has been working for integrity of different Mizo sub-tribes since its formation in 1935. It is painful to be accused of trying to disintegrate the Mizos,” YMA (central) president T Sangkunga told reporters at his office here on Wednesday, in reaction to the allegations.

The YMA leader accused the three autonomous district councils of getting the lion’s share from the Mizoram state’s budget whereas there is development setback in the rest of the state due to financial constraint. “Despite this, the three autonomous district councils have been demanding Union Territory status and direct funding from the Centre,” he said.

The T Gupta Commission has recommended alleviation of the three autonomous district councils in Mizoram to territorial council, Sangkhuma said. “The T Gupta Commission’s recommendations will ultimately divide Mizoram into smaller pieces. With the political parties unlikely to stand up against such recommendations, there is no organisation other than the YMA to protect the territorial integrity of Mizoram,” he said.

The YMA, in its recent general conference, resolved to end ethnic-based politics in Mizoram in order to protect the unity of Mizos. In pursuance of this, the central coordination committee of the YMA last week passed a resolution against granting m ore autonomy to the three A DCs. It also wanted an end to ethnic-based students’ organisations and church denominations.

Manipur Highway Blockade Suspended

Imphal, Nov 23 : The public blockade on National Highways 2 and 37 besides other inter-district routes has been suspended temporarily following a talk between the agitating body and a government team today.

Demanding creation of a separate Kuki State, the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) called the blockade on both national and State highways in the Kuki-inhabited areas in Manipur since November 17 evening, forcing the entire 2.5 million population of the State to face artificial scarcity of fuel.

“Given the demand of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF) for a political dialogue, the Union Home Ministry was apprised of the matter and the Union Home Ministry has responded positively to depute an official team after the Winter Session of Parliament to Imphal.

In the meantime, the KSDC has been requested to call off the blockade on national highways and maintain peace,” said a government communique which was made available to the media today.

Govt To Extend SoO With Kuki militants

Imphal, Nov 22 : The Additional DG, law and order, LM Khaute today met representatives of Kuki militant groups to discuss the further extension of ‘Suspension of Operation’, SoO between the groups and the governments.

The last extension that was signed for three months expires tomorrow.

As per the information received, the Additional DG further assured the militants groups that the spirit and principles of the ground rules will remain the same even after the expiry of the agreement tomorrow.

He further assured the groups that the state government would pursue the matter with the Union Home Ministry so that the extension took place as soon as possible.

He said, “The ground rules will be continued even after the expiry of the agreement tomorrow as the agreement would be extended in a few days time by the Centre. And, the process for the extension is on.”

The twenty Kuki militant groups that comes under the two umbrella bodies of Kuki National Organisation, KNO and United People Front, UPF, have been on tripartite cease-fire agreement with the state and central govt since August 2005.

The militant groups are now staying in their designated camp.

The militant groups that are fighting for a separate Kuki state, have been pressing the government to initiate political dialogues with the groups by stating that 7-years time is enough to initiate a political dialogue.

Meanwhile, sources reveal that the delegation of the Kuki militant groups also assured the Additional Director General of Police that the militant groups would try their best to call off the current blockade which were imposed by the Kuki State Demand Committee, KSDC.

It may be mentioned that KSDC have calls indefinite blockade since Saturday to all national and state highways demanding for initiation of political dialogue between the groups and the Centre.

Extinction Fears Haunt Manipur Hmars

By Yumnam Rupachandra

Imphal, Nov 21 : The indigenous Hmars of Manipur, who inhabit the southern parts of the state, largely in the Tipaimukh subdivision, fear that their race would be extinct once the oil exploration and drilling process starts in the region.

According to Hmar Inpui, the apex body of the tribe, the fate of its people has been sacrificed on the altar of profit by oil and gas tycoons. Their fear comes from a series of MoUs signed recently by the Centre and Manipur government with oil firms that allow exploration of oil and natural gas in the Tipaimukh and Vanghai areas of the state.

The licence for exploration of oil in Manipur’s Hmar-inhabited areas has been awarded to Jubilant Oil and Gas Private Ltd. Under the same block, the same company has also been given the licence to explore oil and gas in the adjoining Tamenglong district, mainly inhabited by Zeliangrongs.

The community has not been taken into confidence by both the Central and Manipur governments in deciding to award the licence to the said company, said Lalawilien Hmar, president of Hmar Inpui, GHQ, and Lalhminthang Hmar, president Hmar Inpui, Vanghai region, in a joint statement to the media. Calling the whole process a covert one, the duo said that the episode was shrouded in secrecy and no information was made available to the people.

“This is contrary to the principle behind the Right to Information Act,” the Hmar leaders said.

“We have been made to realise that the project is anti-people. Despite the high-risk the proposed projects involve, the government has not only failed to inform the people about their adverse impact, but also to represent their approved consent. In short, the projects did not take into consideration the existence of the indigenous people and their rights. We shall not allow our ignorance to be plundered by the oil and gas tycoons in the name of ‘development’,” the statement said.

The Hmar Inpui also accused the state government of instilling injustice by not adopting a democratic process to weave consent of the Hmar people who stand to lose the most.

The Hmar Inpui also accused the state government of addressing the oil exploration project as a “vehicle” to redress the social, economic and political exclusion of the community after years of deprivation.

“It will alienate the people and their rights from their ancestral land, forests, rivers, and natural resources,” said t he Hmar leaders. A consultation meeting held at Ankhasuo on November 16 a sked the state government to declare a moratorium on the exploration apart from asking the oil giants to withdraw from the Hmar areas.

The meeting also reiterated an earlier demand by the other bodies to scrap the MoUs signed by the government with the companies and declare them null and void. Oil exploration in both Man ipur and Nagaland under the eighth round of the New Exploration Licencing Policy has been mired by stiff resistance from the local people.

The government has been forced to hold public hearings for oil exploration under heavy security cover after protesting villagers stormed the proceedings.

Ajmal Kasab hanged at Yerwada Jail at 7:30 am

Ajmal Amir Kasab, convicted for his role in the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, was hanged till death at 7.30 am in Pune's Yerwada Jail on Wednesday.

Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil  has confirmed the execution.

After nearly a four-year-long legal battle, on August 29, the Supreme Court had confirmed the death penalty awarded to the LeT operative by the trial court and later upheld by the Bombay high court.

Upholding Kasab's conviction, the apex court had said that he killed without "the slightest twinge of conscience".

The Centre had rejected Kasab's mercy petition on October 23.

Cancer Hospital Coming Soon in Mizoram

Aizawl, Nov 21 : The Mizoram government will upgrade its existing 40-bed small treatment centre to a 300-bed cancer diagnosis and treatment centre at Zemabawk on the northern fringes of the capital city.

It will be the third cancer hospital in the Northeast.

Parliamentary secretary of health and medical department of the Mizoram council of ministers, S. Laldingliana, recently told The Telegraph over phone from Lunglei town in south Mizoram that preliminary steps for upgrading this hospital had begun. He said the total outlay for setting up this modern cancer hospital in a phased manner is estimated at Rs 350 crore.

Lalbiakzuala, a cancer specialist in Aizawl, said there had been a sharp rise in the number of cancer patients in the past 10 years, thus triggering concern among the high-ups in the health directorate of the state.

Quoting a latest report recently released by the Centre in its population-based cancer registry, Lalbiakzuala said as many as 3,302 people in Mizoram had died of cancer. He said the figure was enough to send alarm bells ringing among the Mizoram government’s health officials.

Lalbiakzuala, who is also the secretary of the state government-run Cancer Care Society in Aizawl, rued that Mizoram tops the chart in number of patients suffering from stomach cancer in the country. Quoting an international official report, he said Mizoram had already edged past Japan in high incidence of stomach cancer .

The alarming rise in cancer cases, particularly those affecting stomach, lung, throat and oral cavity can be gauged from official review reports that state that in a year, 550 people die of cancer in Mizoram.

Laldingliana said the habit of Mizo men and women of taking tobacco either by chewing or smoking cigarettes or vailo (home-made bidis), is so pernicious that it ultimately leads to such high incidence of oral cancer among them.

According to a report of the Mizoram state Tobacco Control Society, at least 72.5 per cent Mizo men and 61.6 per cent women are tobacco addicts. Laldingliana also said another reason for stomach cancer is regular consumption of dry or smoked meat.

An official source said the Mizoram Cancer Care Society was recently granted Rs 3.5 crore by the Centre for launching a wider mass awareness campaign in the state for acquainting the Mizos with the causes of this killer ailment so that they refrain from their habits of smoking or eating dry meats, in particular chicken, beef and pork.

Kuki Groups, Govt Talks Fail in Manipur

Blockade by Kuki committee to continue

Bijang Vengnom (Churachandpur), Nov 21 : The first round of talks between the Kuki State Demand Committee and the Manipur government today broke down and the committee decided to continue the blockade along the state and national highways in Manipur.

The blockade began on November 17.

A government team headed by deputy chief minister Gaikhangam and a delegation of the demand committee held talks today on the demand for creation of a Kuki state and also for the start of a political dialogue between the Centre and the Kuki militant groups having suspension of operations agreement.

“The committee reiterates its stand that public blockade will continue until the Union government gives a written assurance inviting the committee (to talks),” the spokesman for the demand committee, K. Khongsai, told the media.

During the talks, Gaikhangam briefed the committee delegation about the assurance given by Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to him that an official team would be sent to Imphal to chalk out modalities of talks with the Kuki militant groups after the winter session of Parliament.

Twenty Kuki militant groups under two umbrella organisations — Kuki National Organisation and United Peoples’ Front —have suspension of operation agreements with the government since August 2005 and they are waiting for start of dialogue.

Gaikhangam appealed to the committee to lift the blockade in view of the assurance given by Shinde.

After returning to Churachandpur, the delegation discussed the proceedings of the talks and the appeal by Gaikhangam with other members of the committee at Churachandpur district headquarters.

The committee decided to continue with the blockade. The committee, however, appreciated the initiative taken by Gaikhangam.

“We appreciate the initiative taken by the deputy chief minister. We will, however, end the blockade only when the Union home minister gives a written assurance to start political dialogue with Kuki militant groups and the demand committee,” the general secretary of the committee, Benjamin Mate, said.

He alleged that the Centre was not serious enough on the grievances of the Kukis. “When there is a Naga blockade, home ministry officials come down and talk to them. Now, the ministry is silent on the Kuki demand,” he said.

The committee, however, responding to the appeal by Gaikhangam, decided to exempt those taking part in the Manipur Sangai Festival which will begin tomorrow and candidates of Teachers Eligibility Test which will be held on November 27 outside the purview of the blockade.

The committee condemned the state government for an assault on an elderly woman supporter of the blockade today by police along Imphal-Ukhrul road.

In a related development, the Tangkhul Naga Long today said the Nagas’ land was inseparable.

The president of the Tangkhul Naga Long, Solomon Ningshen, said in a statement that the Nagas in Manipur were demanding alternative arrangement outside the Manipur government, pending “Indo-Naga” final settlement.

Facebook Used To Raise Funds For Road To Connect Assam, Manipur and Nagaland

By ALIPTA JENA

Workers engaged in the construction of the road in Manipur’s Tousem subdivision

Calcutta, Nov 21 : The tireless endeavours of a family and the worldwide reach of social networking will soon pave a rocky road to address the basic needs of food, education and livelihood in Manipur’s Tousem subdivision.

Jeremiah Pame, assistant professor at University of Delhi, is raising funds through a Facebook group, which has now crossed the 7,000-member mark.

His brother, Armstrong Pame, sub-divisional magistrate of Tamenglong, and the first IAS officer from the Zeme tribe, took up the initiative to construct a road connecting his subdivision to the district headquarters town of Tamenglong and to Haflong in Assam.

His family then took up the task of garnering funds for the endeavour.

This stretch, part of the road connecting Assam, Manipur and Nagaland and now popularly being called the Great Indian Road project, is particularly hilly and worsens during the monsoon, making it difficult to navigate.

“When we took up this project, some people thought we were crazy. The road was virtually impossible to cut. However, we were determined to walk the tough and crazy road. We have received an overwhelming response and we can proudly say that we still believe in humanity. There are many people in the world thirsty for a good initiative. They just need an opportunity,” said Jeremiah.

People from all over the world — Canada, England, the US, Israel, Kuwait, Belgium, Norway and other countries — have responded and contributed to the cause. An elderly man, who heard of the project, telephoned Jeremiah from London to say, “I was born in India but I have been living in England for 45 years. I am 68. I had lost faith in our country, because I have been hearing only about corruption, scams, rape and murder. But this story gives me hope to be proud of my country once again.”

The Facebook group and the website of the project, http://thegreatindianroad.in, list the progress, amounts contributed and the names of the contributors.

There have been some heartwarming responses, like the farmer who contributed a tin can of rice cultivated by himself or the child who gave Rs 50 from his pocket money. Rev. Valson Thampu, principal of St Stephen’s College, who contributed Rs 10,000, said, “I am proud of Armstrong and all the people who are working together.”

Moreover, the people of Tamenglong yesterday organised a meeting where more than 700 households decided to launch a door-to-door campaign to support the project.

With the response, the brothers are confident of being able to construct a metalled road.

The construction of the road was stalled for 30 years till Armstrong Pame took matters into his own hands and decided to build it with the aid of the villagers and the public.

It all began with Rs 4 lakh contributed by the family members. Along with machinery, the villagers also pitched in to provide food and supplies for the 15 persons who worked on the road.

No less than 50-odd villagers turn up to lend a hand with the construction everyday.

The road, from the district headquarters to the subdivision, is nearly 60km and from the subdivision to Haflong is nearly 45-50km.

The challenge is to make a new road and clear the ground from Phoklong village to connect it with the main road to Haflong, nearly 30km or so.

Jeremiah recalls the hardships faced by the villagers when they were children. Several persons died of diseases like malaria, typhoid and others because it took two days to walk to the district hospital. Patients still have to be carried on makeshift bamboo stretchers.

Moreover, children are forced to stay back in the village instead of going to school. Farmers are unable to access market facilities. Also, the practice of jhum cultivation leads to a scarcity of food in the monsoon.

Also on the cards is a bridge over the Makhru river. “We have promised the villagers that the road will be completed by Christmas. This is our Christmas gift to them. Hopefully our online endeavour will be enough to garner funds to see the project through,” says Armstrong.

Kote Elah, a contributor, says, “The response of the group has encouraged me to believe that there are good and honest people after all. This is a real eye-opener — to have faith when there seems to be no hope. This is called government of the people by the people and for the people.”